LA CROSSE — West Salem/Bangor freshman Sophia Anderson did what she wanted when she wanted during an impressive Bi-State Classic debut at the La Crosse Center on Monday.
Perhaps an unfamiliarity with her skill set was responsible for her be awarded the seventh seed in the 107-pound bracket, but Anderson wasted little time showing it off in winning three matches to qualify for Tuesday morning’s semifinal round.
Anderson (18-1) followed up a first-round bye by pinning an unseeded opponent in 56 seconds before finishing 10th-seeded Danika Spets (18-5) in 3:25 to set up the biggest matchup yet in the quarterfinals.
That’s where she jumped all over Westby senior Kylie Klum (10-4) — a three-time WIAA state qualifier and place-winner — before ending that match with a pin in 4:49.
Anderson scored 10 of the first 12 points against Klum and never gave the second seed much of a chance in their bout. Anderson also pinned Klum three weeks ago at the Royall Invitational.
Anderson is one of three couleesports.com semifinalists after the first of the two-day event.
Holmen juniors Aini Anderson and Avalee Euler also pushed their way through quarterfinal bouts to keep championship hopes alive.
Aini Anderson is the top seed at 100 and followed a first-round bye by pinning Hastings freshman Samantha Allen (10-8) in 1 minutes, 38 seconds and Richland Center senior Kailee Spilde (10-3) in 1:12.
That gives her a semifinal matchup against fourth-seeded Chatfield sophomore Melody Ward (21-0) on Tuesday morning. Ward received a first-round forfeit before pinning the 12th and 13th seeds.
Euler gave herself quite a semifinal challenge but secured it in a very impressive way by plowing through opponents at 165.
Euler, who is seeded fifth, started with a 14-second pin before emerging from a 6-3 victory over 12th-seeded Avery Levine (13-5) of Hastings. She followed that up with a 4-minute technical fall over fourth-seeded Emily Heisner (17-4)of Mineral Point in the quarterfinal round.
Her reward is a semifinal match against top-seeded and defending bracket champion Kimura Hutter (6-1) of Adams-Friendship.
Sophia Anderson’s first Bi-State continues with a semifinal against third-seeded Aaleeh Le (18-2), a sophomore from Wausau West. She was a fifth-place state finisher a year ago.
Holmen senior Peyton Kratochvill (15-5, 120), Holmen junior Kaytlynn Lambries (15-4, 132), Logan/Central junior Rachael Hang (18-4, 138), Logan/Central junior Myrikal Johnson (13-5, 185) and Holmen senior Sophia Walter (14-2, 235) are all still alive for third place after losing once in the championship bracket on Monday.
